Golf practice device



Jan. 7, 1969 H. 1'. DAY

GOLF PRACTICE DEVICE Sheet of 2 Filed Dec. 18, 1964 INVENTOR.

HERBERT T. DAY

WMflW ATTORNEY Jan. 7, 1969 H. T. DAY 3,420,528

GOLF PRACTICE DEVICE Filed Dec. 18, 1964 Sheet 2 of 2 7e 34 Q, as

4 l WMMA i INVENTOR. HERBERT T. DAY

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,420,528 GOLF PRACTICE DEVICE Herbert T. Day, Moline, IlL, assignor to Johnson & Day Golf Enterprises, Moline, Ill. Filed Dec. 18, 1964, Ser. No. 419,491 US. Cl. 273-176 23 Claims Int. Cl. AG3b 69/36 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A golf practising device comprising a fore and aft extending main frame supported on 'wheels, a laterally disposed member supported on the frame with a front inclined portion and a rear upper rolled portion, the latter includ' ing an upwardly opening and transversely inclined trough section and a section extending from the front side of the trough above and rearwardly of the trough to a downwardly inclined section spacedly under the trough and joining with the front inclined portion, a foldable player supporting platform supported on wheels and including ball teeing means immediately adjacent the inclined portion, and a ball return passage extending between the trough and the platform.

This invention relates to a golf practising device and more particularly relates to such a device requiring only a few balls for operation. Even more particularly the invention relates to a practising device adapted to permit a full swing of a golf club, striking the ball, and automatically trapping and returning the ball to a teeing area.

This invention relates to a new and novel device adapted to receive a golf ball struck in a conventional manner from a platform and to trap and automatically return the ball to a tee setting device on the platform.

Specifically the invention relates to an inclined flexible or canvas panel facing the platform and adapted to block passage of a ball struck by a club. The canvas terminates in an upper scrolled or rolled end that continues from the inclined portion upwardly and forwardly and then downwardly and rearwardly to a transverse trough slightly inclined to direct the balls to a transverse end that discharges the balls into a conveying passageway. The latter is adapted to return the balls to the area of the tee setting device. A hood extends forwardly from the rolled upper portion to deflect balls downwardly.

A further object of the invention is to provide a new and novel ball striking platform capable of yielding upon the club striking it and being capable of resisting the normal scuffing occurring upon being struck by a club.

A further object of the invention is to provide a new and novel ball teeing device and assembly capable of setting the ball on a tee and further capable of adjusting the tee to the desired height.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art as the nature of the invention is better understood from the following description and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view taken from one side of the device.

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view taken from the opposite side of the device.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 4-4 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 55 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged side view, partially in section, of the ball setting device and a portion of the ball-delivering conduit system.

FIG. 7 is an end view of the structure shown in FIG. 6 with portions broken away.

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The device has a main frame composed of a pair of transversely spaced upright angle iron posts 10, 11 cross braced at their upper and lower ends by transverse angle iron beams 12, 13. The lower beam 13 carries at its opposite ends a pair of transport wheels 14, 15 respectively. The framework further includes a pair of transversely spaced inclined angle iron side rails 17, 18 having lower forward ends and upper rear ends, the latter being bolted to intermediate portions of the posts 10, 11. The side rails 17, 18 are rigidly interconnected at their forward ends by a cross brace 19. The rails 17, 18 serve as lower edges of upright side wall structures that further includes leftand right-hand upright panels 20, 21 respectively.

A platform 25 extends across the forward end of the frame structure just forwardly of the beam 19. The platform is composed of a wooden base panel 26, preferably of plywood, suitably underbraced by transverse wooden beams 27. Metal straps 29, 30 are bolted at 31, 32 to the transversely spaced outer edges of the platform 25 and are pivoted at 3-3, 34 to the forward ends of the respective side beams 17, 18. Consequently the entire platform 25 is adapted to move from an extended or horizontal position as shown in FIG. 1 to a retracted or vertical position as shown in FIG. 2. The upper surface of platform 25 is always above the cross brace 19.

The straps 29, 30 have welded thereto and at their rear ends wheel brackets 37, 38 inclined upwardly from the plane of the platform 25. The brackets 37, 38 carry wheels 35, 36 at their upper rear ends. As may be seen from viewing FIGS. 1 and 2, when the platform is in its horizontal position, the wheels are nestled under the side beams 17, 18 and out of contact with the ground. However, when the platform is raised, it effects movement of the wheels 35, 36 downwardly and in contact with the ground to thereby raise the forward ends above the ground. In the latter position, the entire structure is supported on wheels 14, 15 and 35, 36 and may easily be transported to different locations.

A ply of carpet 40 is applied to the upper surface of the base plywood panel 26 and extends from the left edge of the platform almost the full length of the platform. Adjacent the right edge of the platform is a vertical shield plate 41 that prevents balls scooting off the right edge of the platform. Extending inwardly from the shield plate 41 and on the platform is a ball striking mat 42 composed of an upper polyethlene layer 43 substantially A; thick and beneath the layer 43 is a soft pad 44 of foam rubber lying on the panel 26. The entire mat 42 is fixed to the panel 26 by screws 45 along its front and rear edges.

A teeing device 50 is positioned centrally on the mat 42 and is composed of a vertical rubber tube 51 extending through the pad 42 and panel 26 and resiliently held at its lower end on the head of a stud 52, itself threaded into a short metal tube 53. The tube 53 has a notch 54 in one side thereof receiving a point or end of a horizontal lever 55. The lever 55 is pivoted for vertical movement on a pivot pin 56 extending into a transverse beam 27. The opposite end of the lever 55 is connected to a lower end of a vertical rod 57 extending upwardly through the panel 26 and carpet 40. The upper end of rod 57 is connected to a foot lever 58 fulcrummed at a midpoint on a pivot bracket 59. A spring 49 extends between the lower end of the rod 57 and the cross beam 27 and operates to bias the rod into engagement with the edge of the opening in panel 26 through which it extends. This action frictionally holds the entire teeing device in a desired location.

The teeing device will operate in the following manner. A player normally stands to the left of the foot lever 58 and in a straddling relation thereto. If it is desired to raise the tee 51, the right end of the lever 58 and right are words of convenience and not intended as words of limitations within either the specification and claims. Also the present device is provided for a right handed golfer. Obvious modifications could be made for its use with a left handed golfer.

Other forms and variations of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Consequently it should be understood the present concise and detailed disclosure has been presented for the purpose of clearly and concisely illustrating the principles of the invention and there is no intention to limit or narrow the invention beyond the broad nature of the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. A golf practising device comprising: a fore and aft extending main frame with transversely spaced sides; a platform forwardly of and attached to the main frame; a laterally disposed flexible sheet member supported on the frame extending between the sides with a lower portion adjacent to and extending upwardly and rearwardly of the platform and an upper transversely extending rolled portion, the upper rolled portion having transversely spaced ends adjacent the sides and including an upwardly opening and transversely inclined trough section and a section extending from the front side of the trough section arcuately rearwardly and spacedly above the trough section to a downwardly inclined section spacedly under the trough section and joining with said lower portion.

2. The invention defined in claim 1 further characterized by a pair of fore and aft extending side walls supported on the frame and extending upwardly above the level of the flexible sheet member for retaining balls within the confines between the side walls.

3. The invention defined in claim 1 further characterized by a laterally disposed hood supported on the frame and extending forwardly from proximate the upper rolled portion to overlie the inclined portion to deflect balls from passing over the upper rolled portion.

4. The invention defined in claim 1 further characterized by the trough section having a ball outlet and being inclined to eflect gravitation of the balls in the trough section to the outlet.

5. The invention defined in claim 1 in which the trough section has transversely spaced ends and is inclined from one end to the opposite end and is further characterized by having a ball discharge outlet at the opposite end whereby balls received in the trough section will gravitate to the opposite end to be discharged out the outlet.

6. The invention defined in claim 5 further characterized by means defining an inclined ball passage with an upper end in communication with the outlet and a lower end adjacent the platform.

7. The invention defined in claim 6 further characterized by a ball teeing device on the platform adapted to receive balls from the lower end of the ball passage and to deposit them on the platform.

8. The inveniton defined in claim 7 further characterized by the platform having a ball receiving tee extending from the upper surface thereof and adapted to receive the balls as they are deposited on the platform by the ball teeing device.

9. The invention defined in claim 1 in which the platform is composed of a floor and is further characterized by having a club striking mat composed of a soft layer of a resilient material disposed on the floor and a top layer of relatively tough material adapted to resist scuffing upon contact by a club and overlaying the resilient material whereby the mat will yield downwardly upon being struck by the club.

10. The invention defined in claim 9 in which the resilient material is a foam rubber and the top layer is a hard plastic material.

11. The invention defined in claim 1 further characterized by a club striking mat supported on the plat form composed in part of a resilient material capable of deforming upon being struck by a club; and a vertically adjustable golf tee extending through the mat.

12. The invention defined in claim 1 further characterized by a lever supported on the paltform for vertical adjustment about a horizontal fulcrum; foot pedal means connected to the lever and disposed above the level of the platform for vertically adjusting the lever; 21 golf tee supported on the platform for vertical movement; and means connecting the lever to the tee for adjustment of the tee.

13. The invention defined in claim 1 in which the platform is supported on the frame to pivot vertically about a transverse axis whereby the platform may be folded to a position between the sides of the frame.

14. The invention defined in claim 13 further characterized by wheels mounted on the platform so that as the platform is folded the wheels engage the ground and lift the forward end of the golf practising device.

15. The invention defined in claim 14 further characterized by the rear portion of the frame having transport wheels whereby upon the platform being folded the entire device is supported on wheels.

16. The structure set forth in claim 1 in which the platform comprises a laterally disposed base member including a portion for supporting a golfer and a club striking portion offset from the aforesaid portion; a soft yieldable pad supported on the upper surface of the club striking portion and adapted to yield downwardly upon pressure being applied thereto; an overlying antiscufling material on top of the pad having an upper exposed surface; a tee supported on the platform to move vertically in the club striking portion; and means on the platform connected to the tee for adjusting it vertically in respect to the upper surface.

17. The invention defined in claim 1 further characterized by a ball striking pad supported on the flexible sheet member in fore and aft alignment with and adapted to receive balls struck on the platform.

18. The invention defined in claim 1 in which the platform has a tee thereon and a ball striking pad is on the upper surface of the flexible sheet member for receiving the impact of a ball struck from the tee.

19. The invention defined in claim 1 characterized by the platform being pivotally supported on the main frame to swing vertically and sufficiently wide to support a player thereon.

20. A golf practising device comprising: a main frame including a pair of transversely spaced and rigidly interconnected upright side wall structures having upper rear ends and lower front ends; a laterally disposed sheet means yieldable to impact of a struck ball extending between the side wall structures including an inclined main hall striking portion extending from a lower front horizontal edge between the lower front ends of the side wall structures upwardly and rearwardly and continuing in an upper rolled portion ext-ending between and having transversely spaced ends closely adjacent the upper ends of the side wall structures and terminating in a transversely extending ball-collecting trough having a ball discharge opening therein; a ball teeing means secured to said frame forwardly of and closely adjacent the lower front edge of the ball striking portion; and a ball return passage supported on a side wall structure and having an upper end in communication with the ball discharge opening of the trough and adapted to guide a ball downwardly and forwardly to the ball teeing means.

21. The structure as set forth in claim 20 further characterized by a laterally disposed ball deflecting hood supported between the upper ends of the side wall structures and extending from adjacent the trough considerably forwardly of the trough and in over-lying spaced relation to the inclined portion for blocking balls from passing over the upper rolled end of the sheet means.

22. A golf practising device comprising: a fore and aft extending main frame including oppositely disposed fore and aft extending sides; an inclined laterally disposed part extending between the sides with a forward lower end at the forward ends of the sides; a transverse trough between the sides at the upper rear ends thereof; and a juncture section extending from the front side of the trough arcuately rearwardly and spacedly above the trough to a downwardly inclined section spacedly under the trough and joining with the front inclined part; a ball teeing structure fixed to the frame proximate to and forwardly of the inclined part; a ball striking pad supported on the inclined part in fore and aft alinement with the ball teeing structure; and means between the trough and teeing structure for returning a ball from the trough to the teeing structure.

23. The structure as set forth in claim 22 in which the teeing structure includes a platform mounted for vertical movement on the frame and a ball receiving device, and the means for returning the ball is a passage structure that is articulate to accommodate vertical movement of the platform.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 694,581 3/1902 Reichlin 273-103 1,785,150 12/1930 Soubier et a1 273-182 2,301,767 11/1942 Willingham 273-105 RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

G. J. MARLO, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 

